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Project ID: 04-2-1-85

Year: 2004

Date Started: 08/30/2004

Date Completed: 11/02/2007

Title: Does Season of Burn and Burn Interval Affect Soil Productivity and Processes in a Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem?

Project Proposal Abstract: Prescribed burning is currently in use in many forests to restore fuel loads to historic levels and return forests to pre-fire suppression burn intervals. A study is currently underway in the southern Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon that is examining the effects of season of burn and fire return interval on forest growth, insect and disease mortality, understory vegetation and fuel consumption. This project has 5 treatments: spring burning at 5-year interval, spring burning at 15-year interval, fall burning at 5-year interval, fall burning at 15-year interval, and a no-burn control. To date, 2 of the 5-year burns have occurred (with the most recent burn in 2002), and 1 has been implemented 6 years ago in the 15-year burn interval plots for both spring and fall burning. No examination of prescribed burning effects on soils has been done at this site, yet prescribed burning may have substantial effects on soil properties. The forests of this semi-arid region could experience changes in both soil water availability and nutrient availability, which could affect forest health. We propose to examine season of burn and burn interval effects on soil moisture, soil temperature, and nutrient availability and compare these with growth, insect and disease mortality, and understory vegetation.